Cub Football - Loyola can clinch Angelus League title on Friday - Playoffs around the corner
LOYOLA IN POSITION TO WIN SECOND CONSECUTIVE ANGELUS LEAGUE TITLE - FINAL LEAGUE CONTEST PRESENTS CHALLENGE
Coming off an emotional last second win over St. Francis to improve their Angelus League record to 2-0, and their overall ledger to 7-2, the Cubs are faced with what could be another hotly contested battle this Friday as they will host longtime foe St. Paul at Smith Field on Senior Night.
St. Paul was in it until the end against St. Francis two weeks ago before succumbing to the Golden Knights, 26-20. Loyola downed St. Francis 6-3 in a dogfight, so any expectation that the league finale will be a walk in the park for the Cubs is probably not realistic.
The Cubs and Swordsmen have played 24 times over the last five decades, and half of those games have been decided by 10 points or less. St. Paul always gets fired up for its battles with Loyola, and the Swordsmen will have their rapiers well sharpened for Friday’s showdown.
If the Cubs can come out of Friday’s title tilt with a win, they will likely be placed in the CIF Division 3 playoff field. The Southern Section office will announce divisional placement and playoff brackets Sunday morning at 10:00, according to its website, cifss.org.
A loss to St. Paul would probably result in a three way tie for the Angelus League crown, and could very well drop Loyola into the Division 4 playoff field, assuming a possible third place conference finish following coin tosses. A third place finish would not automatically guarantee a playoff berth, so the magnitude of Friday’s fight for all the marbles cannot be underestimated. It is expected, though, that the Cubs would be a playoff participant as an at-large squad even if they lose.
A LOOK AT ST. PAUL
St. Paul (7-1, 1-1) has only one loss, and the Swordsmen may be one of the most underrated teams in the Southern Section. Casual observers point to St. Paul’s comparatively weak schedule as a reason to favor the Cubs. That notion was dispelled when the Swordsmen nearly toppled St. Francis and hung more than 50 points on Crespi last Friday.
Fresh off a 55-35 demolition of Crespi on Friday, St. Paul head coach Rick Zepeda’s squad will be swinging for the fences on Friday night. And the Swordsmen, who score an average of 37 points per game, have the weapons to hit some bombs as they will seek to derail the Big Blue.
The player who makes St. Paul so dangerous is strong armed, fleet-footed senior quarterback Isaiah Dunn (6-0, 180). Dunn is a gifted dual threat signal caller. He has passed for 1,861 yards and 21 touchdowns (232 passing yards per game, 14.8 yards per completion).
Quick and fast, the athletic Dunn is also the Swordsmen’s leading rusher (60 carries for 408 yards, 7 TDs, 8.3 yards per carry). Sophomore running back Christian Melendez (5-11, 185) is the second leading ball carrier (44 carriers for 370 yards, 8.4 yards per carry).
The St. Paul receiving corps is outstanding. Junior Aidan Bravo (6-3, 200) leads the pass catching cadre with 33 receptions for 553 yards (16.8 yards per catch) and six TDs. Senior Jordan Williams has caught 24 passes for 493 yards and averages 20.5 yards per reception. Williams is virtually impossible to defend at 6-7, 198 pounds. Senior Nate Saldana (5-9, 160) has hauled in 36 aerials for 398 yards.
The Swordsmen are stingy on defense, having relinquished an average of only 16 points per game. St. Paul’s stop squad, while not big, attacks with quickness and speed.
GAME OUTLOOK
The good news for Loyola’s defense is that it really has to keep just one player under wraps. Swordsmen quarterback Isaiah Dunn accounts for 71% of St. Paul’s offensive output which averages 252 passing yards and 154 rushing yards per game.
The Cub defense needs to make the going difficult for Dunn for a full 48 minutes. If Dunn is not slowed down significantly as both a passer and runner, the Swordsmen could turn the game into an “anything goes” shoot out. Expect to see some sleight of hand from St. Paul, as it will be make every effort to take down the home team.
Loyola’s offense should be able to move the ball and score with its array of playmakers. In the spring game between the schools, the Swordsmen held the Cubs to only seven first half points, so a good start by Loyola’s offense should go a long way in deciding the outcome. If the Cubs can put St. Paul in chase mode, that will bode well for the Big Blue.
THE SERIES
The inaugural game between the rivals could not have been more auspicious. UndefeatedDel Rey League champion Loyola met undefeated Angelus League champion St. Paul in the CIF Southern Section AAAA title game at the Los Angelus Memorial Coliseum. In an all-time classic, the Cubs came out of the heavyweight fight with a heart stopping 14-13 win. A short time later, Loyola was acclaimed the National High School Champion by the National Sports News Service.
That CIF showdown was the first of 24 meetings on the gridiron between the schools. The Cubs hold a commanding 18-5-1 lead in the series, but as noted, twelve of the contests were decided by ten points or less. Loyola’s 31-0 win over the Swordsmen this spring was the Cubs’ largest margin of victory in the series.
A huge crowd is expected for the league title decider. Kickoff is at 7:00 p.m.
THE CUBS NEED FANS IN THE STANDS!!!!
Coming off an emotional last second win over St. Francis to improve their Angelus League record to 2-0, and their overall ledger to 7-2, the Cubs are faced with what could be another hotly contested battle this Friday as they will host longtime foe St. Paul at Smith Field on Senior Night.
St. Paul was in it until the end against St. Francis two weeks ago before succumbing to the Golden Knights, 26-20. Loyola downed St. Francis 6-3 in a dogfight, so any expectation that the league finale will be a walk in the park for the Cubs is probably not realistic.
The Cubs and Swordsmen have played 24 times over the last five decades, and half of those games have been decided by 10 points or less. St. Paul always gets fired up for its battles with Loyola, and the Swordsmen will have their rapiers well sharpened for Friday’s showdown.
If the Cubs can come out of Friday’s title tilt with a win, they will likely be placed in the CIF Division 3 playoff field. The Southern Section office will announce divisional placement and playoff brackets Sunday morning at 10:00, according to its website, cifss.org.
A loss to St. Paul would probably result in a three way tie for the Angelus League crown, and could very well drop Loyola into the Division 4 playoff field, assuming a possible third place conference finish following coin tosses. A third place finish would not automatically guarantee a playoff berth, so the magnitude of Friday’s fight for all the marbles cannot be underestimated. It is expected, though, that the Cubs would be a playoff participant as an at-large squad even if they lose.
A LOOK AT ST. PAUL
St. Paul (7-1, 1-1) has only one loss, and the Swordsmen may be one of the most underrated teams in the Southern Section. Casual observers point to St. Paul’s comparatively weak schedule as a reason to favor the Cubs. That notion was dispelled when the Swordsmen nearly toppled St. Francis and hung more than 50 points on Crespi last Friday.
Fresh off a 55-35 demolition of Crespi on Friday, St. Paul head coach Rick Zepeda’s squad will be swinging for the fences on Friday night. And the Swordsmen, who score an average of 37 points per game, have the weapons to hit some bombs as they will seek to derail the Big Blue.
The player who makes St. Paul so dangerous is strong armed, fleet-footed senior quarterback Isaiah Dunn (6-0, 180). Dunn is a gifted dual threat signal caller. He has passed for 1,861 yards and 21 touchdowns (232 passing yards per game, 14.8 yards per completion).
Quick and fast, the athletic Dunn is also the Swordsmen’s leading rusher (60 carries for 408 yards, 7 TDs, 8.3 yards per carry). Sophomore running back Christian Melendez (5-11, 185) is the second leading ball carrier (44 carriers for 370 yards, 8.4 yards per carry).
The St. Paul receiving corps is outstanding. Junior Aidan Bravo (6-3, 200) leads the pass catching cadre with 33 receptions for 553 yards (16.8 yards per catch) and six TDs. Senior Jordan Williams has caught 24 passes for 493 yards and averages 20.5 yards per reception. Williams is virtually impossible to defend at 6-7, 198 pounds. Senior Nate Saldana (5-9, 160) has hauled in 36 aerials for 398 yards.
The Swordsmen are stingy on defense, having relinquished an average of only 16 points per game. St. Paul’s stop squad, while not big, attacks with quickness and speed.
GAME OUTLOOK
The good news for Loyola’s defense is that it really has to keep just one player under wraps. Swordsmen quarterback Isaiah Dunn accounts for 71% of St. Paul’s offensive output which averages 252 passing yards and 154 rushing yards per game.
The Cub defense needs to make the going difficult for Dunn for a full 48 minutes. If Dunn is not slowed down significantly as both a passer and runner, the Swordsmen could turn the game into an “anything goes” shoot out. Expect to see some sleight of hand from St. Paul, as it will be make every effort to take down the home team.
Loyola’s offense should be able to move the ball and score with its array of playmakers. In the spring game between the schools, the Swordsmen held the Cubs to only seven first half points, so a good start by Loyola’s offense should go a long way in deciding the outcome. If the Cubs can put St. Paul in chase mode, that will bode well for the Big Blue.
THE SERIES
The inaugural game between the rivals could not have been more auspicious. UndefeatedDel Rey League champion Loyola met undefeated Angelus League champion St. Paul in the CIF Southern Section AAAA title game at the Los Angelus Memorial Coliseum. In an all-time classic, the Cubs came out of the heavyweight fight with a heart stopping 14-13 win. A short time later, Loyola was acclaimed the National High School Champion by the National Sports News Service.
That CIF showdown was the first of 24 meetings on the gridiron between the schools. The Cubs hold a commanding 18-5-1 lead in the series, but as noted, twelve of the contests were decided by ten points or less. Loyola’s 31-0 win over the Swordsmen this spring was the Cubs’ largest margin of victory in the series.
A huge crowd is expected for the league title decider. Kickoff is at 7:00 p.m.
THE CUBS NEED FANS IN THE STANDS!!!!
Don't miss what's next. Subscribe to Cub Football and Loyola athletics news: